You never know what to expect when entering into something new, do you? You set your hopes up and they are crushed. You expect little, and sometimes you are surprised and overwhelmed.
I signed up for a Bible study class offered at my church on the book of Colossians. I don’t usually like attending Bible studies because I would rather be the one teaching. But, for some reason, God has me in a non-teaching (in a program way) season.
The first ten minutes of the class the Spirit had already convicted me about my hard heart of not wanting to be teachable. Blah. I hate that. But, it is something I need. Then I got to think. That is one area my husband has noticed in me – my inability to readily accept teaching. It is primarily a pride issue. I think I should already know all things (God) so I don’t want to lower my attitude and allow someone else to teach me. Unless of course I see them as someone who I want to be taught by.
God commands us to be teachable. Especially as women we need to be willing to be taught of the Spirit and those The Lord puts in our path as wiser women and pastors and our husbands (if we are married) who can teach us practical things but also wisdom of the Word of God. (Col 1.9-14)
In the Psalms alone (ESV) there are 26 times that the word TEACH is used. It is the psalmist’s humble cry to The Lord to teach him the truths that he needs to know in order to please The Lord.
What comes in the way of us being teachable? As women in the church we are commanded to teach the younger women. Well, we can’t teach if we’ve never been taught. Did you instinctivly know how to bake cookies or a cheesecake or how to do laundry or make a bed or writer a letter? No. You more than likely had someone to teach you. Our pride is the main obstacle in our heart attitude toward being teachable. We think we don’t need to be taught or already know everything there is to know on a certain subject. That is not a Christ-like attitude to have.
AS you teach your children or teach younger women or as you teach anyone that God gives you the opportunity to teach, do a heart check. Check your own ways and see if you are being teachable? Ask the Spirit to carve away, chisel away, at the hardness of your heart so that you may find yourself teachable. Not by your own doing, but by the doing of The Lord.
Becky Arnold
Great post, Kimberly. Thanks for sharing so humbly. It took me years to know that I always needed to have a mentor whether I was mentoring someone else or not. There have been many more years of having a mentor than being one for sure. And the older I get, the less qualified I feel to mentor. 🙂 I can’t wait for you to find your discipleship place here with us. Until then, may we continue to sharpen each other in friendship. Thanks again for sharing this.